I have donated every year for many, many years, but this was the first year, I decided to investigate the foundation a little more and little did I know it was sponsored by the Marine Corp.  These folks protect our country and our freedom and they are concerned that needy children get toys for Christmas.  These folks are truly incredible.  Good Work and Bless You All!

I visited the Toys for Tots website (www.toysfortots.org) and read about the corporate sponsors, other ways to donate and how to place a request for your children.  If you are in need, please visit their site and select the “Request Toys” tab at the top.  Included on the Toys for Tots website is an article on the Origin and Evolution of the Program.  I have provided it here…

Colonel William L. Hendricks

Toys for tots Began in 1947, when Major Bill Hendricks, USCR and a group of Marine Reservists in Los Angeles collected and distributed 5,000 toys to needy children.  The idea came form Bill’s wife, Diane.  In the fall of 1947, Diane crafted a homemade doll and asked Bill to deliver the doll to an organization, which would give it to a needy child at Christmas.  When Bill determined that no agency existed, Diane told Bill that he should start one.  He did.  The 1947 pilot project was so successful that the Marine Corps adopted Toys for Tots in 1948 and expanded it into a nationwide campaign.  That year, Marine Corps Reserve units across the nation conducted Toys for Tots campaigns in each community in which a Marine Reserve Center was located.  Marines have conducted successful nationwide campaigns at Christmas each year since 1948.  The initial objective that remains the hallmark of the program today is to “bring the joy of Christmas to America’s needy children”.  Bill Hendricks, a Marine Reservist on weekends, was in civilian life, the Director of Public Relations for Warner Brothers Studio.  This enabled him to convince a vast array of celebrities to support Toys for Tots.  In 1948, Walt Disney designed the Toys for Tots logo, which we use today.  Disney also designed the first Toys for Tots poster used to promote the nationwide program.  Nat “King” Cole, Peggy Lee and Vic Damone recorded the Toys for Tots theme composed by Sammy Fain and Paul Webster in 1956.  Bob Hope, John Wayne, Doris Day, Lorrie Morgan, Tim Allen, Kenny Rogers and Billy Ray Cyrus are but a few of the long list of celebrities who have given their time and talent to promote Toys for Tots.  First Lady Nancy Reagan served as the national Spokesperson in 1983.  First Lady Barbara Bush served as the national Spokesperson in 1992 and in her autobiography named Toys for Tots as one of her favorite charities.

From 1947 through 1979, Marines collected and distributed new and used toys.  On Reserve drill weekends during October, November and December, Reserve Marines refurbished the used toys.

From Christmas 1980 through the present, Marines have collected and distributed only new toys.  Three factors dictated this change.  First, the Secretary of Defense’s Total Force Program, introduced in the 1970’s, assigned Reserves a greater role in America’s defense posture.  As a consequence, Reservists had to dedicate every minute of weekend drill time to honing and polishing combat skills.  No time was available to refurbish toys.  Second, public awareness of the health and safety aspects of toys that developed during the ‘70s made distribution of used toys legally inadvisable.  Third, distributing “hand me down” toys does not send the message Marines want to send to needy children.  The goal is to deliver a message of hope, which will assist in building self-esteem and, in turn, motivate less fortunate children to grow into responsible, productive, patriotic citizens and community leaders.  A shiny new toy is the best means of accomplishing this goal.

In the late 1980s, the Marine Corps determined that a non-profit charity was needed as an integral part of the overall national Toys for Tots program.  Based on this need, the Secretary of Defense, in August 1991, authorized the Marine Corps to recognize and work with a charity committed to supporting Toys for Tots.  Based on this approval, the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation became an operational organization in September 1991 and has been the fundraising and support organization for the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program since that date.

The Foundation was able to satisfy the five needs identified by the Marine Corps.  First, the Foundation could provide toys to supplement the collections of local units that had fewer Marines due to military cutbacks of the ‘80s and ‘90s.  Second, the Foundation could arrange and pay for the creation, publication, manufacture and distribution of promotion and support materials to Toys for Tots Coordinators.  Third, the Foundation could enable individual and corporate donors to Toys for Tots to take a charitable deduction on their income tax returns.  Fourth, the Foundation could enter into contracts with corporations to conduct promotions, which would produce royalties for Toys for Tots.  (Needs three and four were two important elements of this charitable endeavor that the Marine Corps, as a federal agency, could not fulfill).  Fifth, the Foundation could ensure that the Toys for Tots program operates in compliance with IRS regulations, state laws and regulations and charitable standards.

In 1995, the Secretary of Defense approved Toys for Tots as an official activity of the U. S. Marine Corps and an official mission of the Marine Corps Reserve.

In 1996, the Commander, Marine Forces Reserve expanded Toys for Tots to cover all 50 states by authorizing selected Marine Corps League Detachments and selected local community organizations (generally veteran Marine), located in communities without a Marine Reserve Center, to conduct toy collection and distribution campaigns in their communities as part of the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program.

In 1999, the Commander, Marine Forces Reserve delegated authority to the President, Marine Toys for Tots Foundation to approve and manage local Toys for Tots campaigns conducted in communities without a Reserve Unit.

2001: Despite the trauma the nation experienced as a result of the September 11th attacks in New York City, Washington, DC and Pennsylvania, the economic downturn and the anthrax scare, the 2001 U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Campaign was the second best in the previous 54 year history of the program.  Local campaigns were conducted in 388 communities covering all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.  This was the most extensive coverage to date.

The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation celebrated its 10th anniversary as the fundraising and support organization for Toys for Tots in 2001.  The highlights of the year were that the Foundation had its most successful campaign to date plus was ranked #289 in the 2001 “ Philanthropy 400”.  This was the first time the Foundation earned a ranking in the “Philanthropy 400”.

In 2002, Charity Navigator awarded the Foundation a 4-star rating and the Chronicle of Philanthropy ranked the Foundation #267 in the “Philanthropy 400”.

In 2003, the DMA Nonprofit Federation named the Foundation the “Outstanding Nonprofit Organization of the Year” for 2003.  The Chronicle of Philanthropy ranked the Foundation #341 in the “Philanthropy 400”.  Starburst ranked the Foundation website #9 of the “Top 100 Toy Websites”.  Reader’s Digest, in the November 2003 edition, named Marine Toys for Tots Foundation “America’s Best Children’s Charity”.  In December 2003 edition, Forbes included Marine Toys for Tots Foundation in its “Gold Star List” of charities.

From 2004 to the present the Foundation has continued to receive, on an annual basis, the accolades noted above.

Over the 62 years of the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program, Marines have distributed more than 400 million toys to more than 188 million needy children.  This charitable endeavor has made U. S. Marines the unchallenged leader in looking after less fortunate children at Christmas.  Over its 18 year life span, the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation has supplemented local toy collections with more than 81.3 million toys valued at more than $487 million; plus has provided promotion and support materials valued at over $6.3 million.

Please join us this year in helping to bring a little joy to a needy child by stopping by our office and donating an unwrapped toy.

The Bluffs at Waterside Crossing - A Denver, NC Townhome Community

RISMEDIA, July 21, 2009-The U.S. housing market continues to show signs of stabilization with a drop in the number of Multiple Listing Service (MLS)-listed homes for the twelfth consecutive month. The number of single family homes and condos listed for sale according to MLS data decreased in June 2009 from May by 2.1%, bringing the total number of active listings in 28 major U.S. markets to 696,858, according to national real estate brokerage ZipRealty.

Additionally, ZipRealty tracked an increase in the median list price in the 28 markets to $270,440 in June from $270,027 in May. Despite the sequential increase the median list price still decreased 2.72 percent when compared to June 2008.

Other highlights from ZipRealty’s Housing Inventory Index, compiled from local Multiple Listing Service (MLS) data, for June 2009 include:

-Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Phoenix all recorded a decline in inventory which may have contributed to some homes receiving multiple bids.
-Median list prices have flattened or increased in Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles, pointing toward stabilization in those areas.
-While South Florida has substantially fewer homes for sale than last summer, housing inventory there is plentiful. For example, Miami has 27.1% more homes listed for sale compared to Los Angeles even though Miami has a significantly smaller population than Los Angeles.
-California is seeing the most dramatic inventory declines with massive year-over-year inventory reductions: Los Angeles saw a 53.9% decrease year-over-year while Bakersfield/Fresno tracked a 56.2% decrease.
-Several major metros that have been hit hardest by foreclosures had limited inventory in June 2009, which is at levels not seen or experienced in years.

“‘Affordability’ has been the buzz word in real estate this summer, and with a significant number of listed homes bank-owned, we’re seeing instances in some areas of banks dropping prices to generate more offers from buyers,” said ZipRealty President and CEO Patrick Lashinsky. “If the number of home listings continue declining and buyer interest and activity remains strong, we should see sales prices and home values increase as we head into the fall.”

Read more: http://rismedia.com/2009-07-20/signs-of-stability-housing-market-shows-12th-consecutive-monthly-decrease-in-number-of-listed-homes/#ixzz0LuNgxuI7

NAR: Existing-Home Sale Continue to Rise
Sales of existing homes showed another gain in May, benefiting from favorable affordability conditions and a first-time buyer tax credit, according to the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS ®. May’s increase was the first back-to-back monthly gain since September 2005.

Existing-home sales – including single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops – rose 2.4 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.77 million units in May from a downwardly revised level of 4.66 million units in April. Sales remained 3.6 percent below the 4.95 million-unit pace in May 2008.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, expected an improvement in sales.

“Historically low mortgage interest rates clearly drew buyers into the market, and housing remains very affordable even with a recent uptick in rates,” Yun says. “First-time buyers also are being drawn off the sidelines by the $8,000 tax credit, which is helping to absorb inventory.

Poor Appraisals Stall Transactions

However, the increase in sales is less than expected because poor appraisals are stalling transactions. Pending home sales indicated much stronger activity, but some contracts are falling through from faulty valuations that keep buyers from getting a loan.”

Total housing inventory at the end of May fell 3.5 percent to 3.80 million existing homes available for sale, which represents a 9.6-month supply at the current sales pace, down from a 10.1-month supply in April.

Yun says the appraisal problem is serious.

“Lenders are using appraisers who may not be familiar with a neighborhood, or who compare traditional homes with distressed and discounted sales,” he says. “In the past month, stories of appraisal problems have been snowballing from across the country with many contracts falling through at the last moment. There is danger of a delayed housing market recovery and a further rise in foreclosures if the appraisal problems are not quickly corrected.”

NAR President Charles McMillan says appraisals and the tax credit are key issues.

“To maximize the potential for a housing recovery and subsequent economic recovery, we need realistic appraisals that are based on proper comparisons and done by a local specialist,” he said. “In addition, the first-time buyer tax credit should be expanded to all buyers of primary homes regardless of income. Extending the credit into 2010 would allow more time for the market to catch up with underlying demand, in part because many families with children, who normally time their purchase based on school year considerations, do not have enough time to move before the start of school in late August.
“Freeing a pent-up demand in housing will absorb inventory at a faster pace, strengthen communities and stabilize home prices earlier,” McMillan said.

A Closer Look at May Housing Data

An NAR practitioner survey in May showed first-time buyers accounted for 29 percent of transactions, and that the number of buyers looking at homes is nearly 10 percentage points higher than a year ago.

“This is the time of year when we see large increases in the number of repeat buyers, who are benefiting from sales to entry-level buyers,” Yun says. “Investors appear less active, but are more prevalent in areas with large price corrections.”

National median existing-home price: for all housing types was $173,000 in May, down 16.8 percent from a year earlier. Distressed properties, which declined to 33 percent of all sales in May from 45 percent in April, continue to downwardly distort the median price because they generally sell at a discount relative to traditional homes.

“The decline in the distressed sales share likely results from an increase of repeat buyers in May,” Yun says. “First-time buyers are concentrated in the lower price ranges, which include most of the distressed sales.”

Single-family home sales: rose 1.9 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.25 million in May from a pace of 4.17 million in April, but are 3 percent below the 4.38 million-unit level in May 2008. The median existing single-family home price was $172,900 in May, down 16.1 percent from a year ago.

Existing condominium and co-op sales: increased 6.1 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 520,000 units in May from 490,000 in April, but are 8.9 percent below the 571,000-unit level in May 2008. The median existing condo price was $173,800 in May, down 21.9 percent from a year earlier.

By the Region

Here’s how housing fared across the country for existing-home sales:

• Northeast: rose 3.9 percent to an annual level of 800,000 in May, but are 10.1 percent below a year ago. Median price: $243,600, which is 12.5 percent below May 2008.

• Midwest: jumped 9 percent in May to a pace of 1.09 million but are 4.4 percent below May 2008. Median price: $145,800, which is 10.4 percent lower than a year ago.

• South: unchanged at an annual pace of 1.74 million in May but are 8.9 percent below a year ago. Median price: $157,400, down 9.9 percent from May 2008.

• West: slipped 0.9 percent to an annual rate of 1.14 million in May, but are 11.8 percent higher than May 2008. Median price: $197,700, down 30.6 percent from a year ago.

Source: NAR

• Historically, after tax mortgage payments have averaged 26 percent more than rental payments.  This average has been as high as 66% more in 2006.  In the narrowest gap since 2001, 2008 average mortgage payments were only 24% more than rental payments.  Renters take note!  This is a great time to make a home purchase.
• On Thursday, the house is expected to vote on a bill that would allow bankruptcy judges to erase some of the mortgage debt for troubled homeowners and shield mortgage servicers modifying loans from bondholder lawsuits.  The expectation is that this bill would prod mortgage companies to loosen home loan terms.
• The outlook on the real estate marketing is looking much better.   With the addition of the $8000 Tax Credit for First Time Home Buyers, the relief program to keep 3-4 million homeowners out of foreclosure, and the continued low interest rates, the Mortgage Bankers Association saw a 48% increase in new mortgage applications last week!
• Forbes Magazine Ranked Raleigh, NC second in “Where to Live under $500,000″.
• Forbes.com Ranked Charlotte, NC as the third “Best Market in the Country”.
• First American Core Logic Inc. Ranked Rocky Mount, NC as seventh in “Cities with Continued Appreciation” at 6.68%.
  

  An Immaculate Home For Sale in Mooresville $379,900

Sometimes it is easier to have someone else to sift through it all in order to bring you the important parts, that you really need to know.  SO there you have it for today!